Undecided Allegiance
by Dormant
Summary: My shot at a reformed vermin, but not a Sue! Naturi is taken into Redwall after her parents were executed for espionage. When Redwall is at the brink of war, where will her allegiance lie? Ch. 5 up. Revised Ch. 1
1. Questionable Loyalties

Undecided Allegience  
  
Chapter One: Questionable Loyalties  
  
(A/N- Yeah, so I decided to take a shot at a reformed vermin, but not a Mary-Sue, using Laburnum's advice. No, this is not a statement of anti-Sueism. This is a challenge for myself. If this story gets the least bit Sueish, let me know so that I can revise. This is a challenge, not a statement, keep that in mind. Also, there's a lot of tactical things in this chapter that have a lot to deal with Mossflowers geography. If I get some things wrong, please don't be upset. This should be one of the only chapters that is...so dry. The beginning is vital! You must make it through! I know its boring to you guys but its the foundation to the whole story! Please read it.)  
  
Captain Marko, a once respected part of a vermin horde, knelt down before lord Maiken, master of the two-thousand members of the traveling settlement and army. This was not so much a show of respect as a cry for mercy.   
  
Captain Marko was accused of a form of espionage while the horde was at war, and faced the possible penalty of death.  
  
It was during the ides of a horribly frigid winter, while food, water, and supplies were scarce. Maiken's horde had found a neutral, outside source in which these things were shipped to them. There was a secret trail in which led far south of Mossflower, where the horde was placed at the time. Maiken had family ties with a clan of vermin there, where there was plenty of everything that his horde needed. Seeing as Maiken was fighting an offensive war, he could not lead his opponent away from where they stayed. It was like a tactic for them, the opposing vermin horde, to keep the unprepared Maiken in the cold. His army had come from the south, where it was warmer, therefore they had never experienced such a harsh winter.   
  
Maiken had held a grudge against the opposing horde and the horde's leader, lord Nikita Krushchev (can you tell I'm into history?). Krushchev had colonies in the south in which Maiken had wanted to claim himself, and that's where he began waging war. After he had invaded all the colonies, to insure their stability, he decided that Krushchev had to be defeated or his loyalists in the colonies would give him too much trouble.  
  
Marko was put in charge of these secret shipping arrangements. This was a very important matter, the difference between defeat and victory, and the captain was trusted with it. That's when everything went wrong.  
  
One cold winter night, he was riding on a wagon through the snow. He knew that he could not transport the supplies without it. At a secret meeting place far from the opposing vermin's camp, the supplies were exchanged for various jewels and valuables. As the wagon tumbled back towards the camp, it was hijacked.  
  
A score of Krushchev's troops had planned a raid that night, having received information of suspicious behavior from a spy. All armed, they outnumbered Marko's crew and easily took over. They stole the supplies and took the crew prisoner, interviewing and torturing each one of them to get every scrap of information that they could gather. The one that they focused on above all else was captain Marko. Eventually, he cracked and spilled to them everything that he knew. He and the others were released, but this was not all good.  
  
After having found out what clan that was, Krushchev made a pact.  
  
Because of the vulnerability of one small clan, it was decided that Krushchev would defend them from anybody as long as they supplied he and his soldiers with food, weapons, and whatever else they had needed. There was one more catch, the small clan could no longer trade with Maiken. If they were caught, Krushchev had promised a full scale invasion. This threat was also, secretly between the leaders, the basis of the small clan's agreement to the pact.  
  
Maiken was furious at his captain's stupidity and the fact that thanks to him, Maiken had no supplies. They could not hold out until spring, and being the underdog after losing many to freezing and starvation, retreated back to the south where they were in the comfort of their climate and colonies.   
  
There, Marko was tried and convicted of espionage, and in Maiken's words, giving vital information to the opponent. He and his crew were then convicted and sentenced to die.  
  
Maiken was so upset by what Marko had done that he had chosen to kill him personally, in the auditorium, with a large crowd assembled to bear witness to his death. And because he was so cruel, Marko's family was placed in the front row, including his seven year old daughter, Naturi.  
  
Naturi was clueless. She had no idea what was going on, even when her father was led on to the stage, bound and flanked by two guards. She had been told nothing of what was to happen. That was another one of Maiken's plans of suffering.  
  
The guards forced Marko onto his knees before the great lord Maiken. Marko looked up into the pole cat's eyes and begged from him, mercy. Lord Maiken's answer to this was a swift blow to Marko's gut, winding him and sending him coughing and gasping on to the floor.  
  
"Mercy? You want mercy? Thanks to you, I have lost! My colonies are vulnerable! You are an idiot, Marko, and you will die because of your daft ways!" Maiken cried as he snatched an axe from the paw of one of the guards and prepared to strike.  
  
By this time, Naturi knew exactly what was happening. She stood, feeling her heart race and adrenaline rush through her veins, at a loss of what she should do. She screamed, and tears rushed through her eyes.   
  
She wiped them away, and for just one moment, made eye contact with the cruel lord Maiken. She could see the selfishness of her lord through his eyes. The selfishness and cruelty, and realized that everything that was ever done in the horde was done in his benefit, and no one else's.   
  
He raised the axe, and just as swiftly as it was raised, he brought it down upon the neck of Captain Marko, Naturi's father. She screamed and collapsed to the ground, expecting to feel her mother comfort her, rather hearing the cheers around her.   
  
She curled up into a ball at the foot of the stage when she heard an ear shattering scream. She looked up to see a mob crowding around her mother, cheering and screaming in a most barbaric fashion. All she ever saw of her mother after that was a mess of blood and fur. She was destroyed because she was the wife of a traitor.  
  
Naturi did not escape the cruelty of the horde, however. They planned on doing the exact same thing to her as they had done to her mother, but for once Maiken had done something that had benefited her.  
  
"Stop!" he bellered. "The mate was stupid enough to marry the oaf, but this one has not chosen to be his. However, because she is the spawn of a traitor, she will be cast out of my horde and all of my colonies and sent north," he proclaimed, glaring down at her. "If she can survive the remaining of the winter, then her life is just."  
  
A group of guards seized her, and a seer placed a damp cloth over her mouth. Soon enough, she had lost all consciousness.  
  
When she awoke, she was bound lying in a small wooden box with a few holes in it. She was wrapped in a small piece of cloth. She heard no one else around her, but there was a cart. She could hear the wheels turning and the bump every so often. After a couple of days, she could feel it getting colder. In the meantime, she had survived off a sack of food and a few flasks of water that were thrown in. She figured that it was some sort of strange experiment that they were putting her through, to see how long she could survive off of a certain amount of supplies. She was wrong, after she felt the wagon being pushed over and the box being preyed open by a group of squirrels. She then realized that a few slaves were the ones pulling the cart and they had died at that spot. The squirrels had discovered them.  
  
Before her, Naturi saw a red, stone building. It was beautiful, so she just stared.  
  
The squirrels seemed stressed by finding her. What to do?  
  
Redscratch, one of the squirrels, decided to see what was going on. She sat down next to Naturi, who seemed quite harmless, and asked her what had happened. Naturi explained the story to the best of her knowledge, crying all the while.  
  
Redscratch pulled the others aside. "Well...what shall we do?"  
  
Nestrum, an older squirrel shrugged. "Looks harmless enough. After all, it is a female, unarmed, young...we oughtta take her in for a couple days, poor thing, looks so malnutritioned..."  
  
Redscratch glared. "Those things don't matter! I really don't know about this. Vermin are vermin, and that's the way it is."  
  
Naturi heard this remark and responded. "What's that mean? Vermin are vermin? I was cast out! What should I do...die here? Fine," Naturi snapped and began walking away.  
  
Redscratch and Nestrum looked at eachother with bafflement. Why would someone so young be cast out of a vermin horde?   
  
"Wait!" Redscratch shouted.  
  
Naturi turned around, teary eyed, scowling at the Redscratch. "I'm just a vermin! Vermin are vermin, leave me be! I guess all vermin are the same, aren't they? You should have seen what they did to ma' and pa', killed! I'm not even a vermin, not really! I'm kinda thirsty, but you know what? I'll just eat snow and maybe someday I'll die."  
  
Redscratch sighed. She looked to Nestrum desperately. "What am I supposed to do? Be responsible for bringing vermin into the abbey?"  
  
Nestrum shook his head. "'Tis a dreadful winter. Like I said, she's young, she's a she, she's unarmed, and she has no motive against us. By the sounds of what happened to her, this one would love a little kind company. I couldn't hold it on my conscience to let her die out here. Exposure is probably one of the worst ways to die. Let her spend the night and we'll take it day by day."  
  
Redscratch nodded slowly. "Day by day is right. If she does on thing wrong, you realize, it's because of us. One thing, and she's gone. We can't risk unleashing a beast in the abbey."  
  
Nestrum nodded in agreement.   
  
Redscratch looked nervously to the young ferret and hollered to her. "Come here, Naturi!"  
  
Naturi turned around, weeping, and made her way towards the squirrel. "I hate him..." she murmured. "I hate Maiken..."  
  
Redscratch and Nestrum looked at eachother again with perplexity. "Who's Maiken?" Nestrum asked kindly.  
  
Naturi sat down next to him. "He's the lord, he killed pa'..."  
  
Nestrum sighed. "Would you like to come inside the abbey, where it's warm?" he inquired kindly, feeling a bit better hearing that she had hated her warlord, therefore, had lessened her loyalties to such a thing.  
  
~Ten Years Later~  
  
"Day by day I feel myself drifting away from this place, this place that saved me from what I am inevitably becoming. Selfish, brutal, and careless. No one knows about what's taking place in my mind, about how I am becoming everything I've ever hated, and no one can even tell. It's like an abandoned addiction being taken up again," Naturi finished writing. She read it and threw it across the room, quill and all. There, the mess of papers fell to the ground in a pitiful heap.   
  
Naturi buried her face in her paws, appalled at what she had written. That could not be true, the Redwallers had always treated her so much better than Maiken had, she had no reason for this longing that she felt. For what she was, and she knew what she was, she had been treated well enough. Most the time she stayed quiet, out of the way. This place, to her, was just for basic survival. She did not bond with anybody there, once she found she was able to leave, she would. One thing that she knew, however, was that she could not live alone.  
  
Naturi jumped, hearing a knock at the door. "What is it?" she asked nicely as she began gathering the papers on the floor and hiding them in a desk drawer.  
  
"Um, do you think you could help with dinner?" a small voice squeaked.  
  
Naturi's heart raced. She was paranoid, to put things lightly. She slammed the desk drawer shut in which held the papers that she had written her hidden thoughts upon.  
  
"I'll be in the kitchen in a second," she replied faintly, her voice quivering severely.  
  
There was a moment's silence, then the voice spoke again. "You okay, Beth?" Naturi took in a deep breath and rose promptly. "Fine...I'm fine..."  
  
She could hear whoever it was walk down the hall, and she felt relief flood over her. She looked at her paw, which she noticed was trembling. It was strange what a mere knock at the door could do to her.  
  
She left the room hastily and walked swiftly down the hall, greeting no one on the way to the kitchen. She entered the room and everyone took a glance at her.  
  
She walked up to Friar Budson and stood at his side a moment while he put some rolls in the ovens.   
  
"What should I do?" she inquired, her voice still slightly shaky.  
  
Friar Budson smiled, bearing his half rotten teeth. "Calm down, missy. You're too tense. Just watch the ovens here, make sure the rolls don't burn."  
  
She nodded and watched as Friar Budson walked off, probably to begin cooking something else. She sat down upon a small kitchen chair next to the oven and tapped her footpaw, as she had always done. She couldn't seem to sit still without fidgeting.  
  
Minutes and minutes passed, and she finally opened the oven and checked the rolls. Sure enough, they had burned. Naturi did not know the first thing about cooking, having always been given the simple sort of jobs.   
  
"Um..." she said tensely, looking to the cooks around her for assistance, though non of them seemed to notice her dilemma. She quickly put on a pot holder glove and grabbed the pan in which the rolls were in. A young mouse was walking by and barely brushed Naturi's shoulder, and having a lack of balance in the first place, trying to keep the pan's weight divided, the pan dropped to the ground and the rolls fell upon the floor.   
  
All eyes were on her as she knelt next to the mess she had created. She stood again, changing her mind, deciding not to clean up, but to retreat. "I...don't think I should help in the kitchen anymore..." she said and ran to her room.  
  
She was incredibly embarrassed. She locked the door and withdrew a flask full of wine from a stash she had created in one of the drawers in her desk. She took a deep swig and sighed. She held up her paw again. Still not steady.  
  
"This is not for me," she thought to herself. She was vermin, that was the way it was. Redscratch was right after all. 


	2. Resurfacing of an OLd Threat

Undecided Allegiance  
  
(A/N- Yes, the name to this story was changed. For some reason, the last one reminded me of some lifetime movie, and that's not quite what I'm going for so I decided that it must be more relevant to the story. I think that this one is better. The other one...I dunno...just sounded icky. I also changed Bethany's name to Naturi, I liked that name better. Thanks, Acoustical Ferret, for reviewing this. I know you're not going to be around much, but that's cool. The history book thing was really what I was going for in the last chapter. Oh, and Naturi knows exactly what happened to her father, not so much why. You must have misunderstood that, reviewer whom I have forgotten your name.)  
  
Chapter Two: Resurfacing of an Old Threat  
  
"I would be better off without those colonies...if I had Redwall," a cold voice suggested. The source of the voice was Joseph Krushchev, warlord of a vermin army that was nestled deep within Mossflower.  
  
The one he spoke to was a young fox that went by the name of Delafor. She was a seer, but not one's typical seer. She did not wear those radical clothes or that large, gaudy jewelry. She just looked like another member of the horde, nothing special. She listened intently to Krushchev's words and thought upon them.   
  
"Redwall...so many have tried to invade that place...no one was successful," Delafor muttered apprehensively, afraid of what Joseph might say to this comment.  
  
He sighed. "There's a first for everything...well...tell me what you see..." he ordered, his voice soft yet deliberate.  
  
Delafor shut her eyes. Someone so sinister, she found she could speak to so easily. Delafor loved being a seer, if only she were a better one, she thought. It was only so often that she would see something, and she found herself confused at interpreting shells, as her mother could always do so well. There was something about her and Joseph's strategical talks that she loved. She couldn't say what it was, maybe just the atmosphere.  
  
She paused a moment before speaking, shuffling nervously. "I...don't see anything, my lord."  
  
Krushchev nodded slowly and took a sip of wine. "You don't see anything? I should have known better...after all, its rare when you get a vision," he said, taunting her. "After all, you were never as good a seer as your mother was."  
  
Delafor shuddered, stung at the truth in his words. "Forgive me, lord."  
  
"Fetch my captains," he ordered. "I'll speak of this matter to them instead."  
  
******  
  
"You have to feel sorry for her sometimes. She never really...talks to anyone," Melanie, a young otter stated as she stared off at the young ferret, who was seated by herself next to one of the trees in the orchard.  
  
Brendin, her younger brother, laughed. "I don't! I've tried talking to her plenty...she's just anti-social or something. Do you think it has anything to do with...well...you know, being what she is?" he asked with an innocent smile.  
  
Melanie shrugged. "I can't say. No matter what she was I would think her strange. I dunno. Complicated beast you got there."  
  
Naturi could hear them talking. She didn't really mind, after all, she was only there to live. She picked a clump of grass and twisted it, each blade intertwined in the mess. She tossed it aside and sighed. She picked up the journal that was sitting by her side and wrote.  
  
"I was too young to know better, perhaps. I feel like, by living here, that I am betraying what I am. I'm out of place, though the Redwallers seem to want to treat me as one of them. They're kind. I just don't know if that's what I want anymore. There's something about the sinister ways of my old vermin horde that I feel I should be a part of. I don't even know why," she finished and read it. Lately, Maiken and his ways had been occupying her thoughts. She tried to decide whether or not, possibly, the execution was just, no matter who Marko had left behind. She tried many times to put herself in Maiken's place, but she still came up undecisive.   
  
"Hey, Beth," a voice behind her rang out.  
  
She jumped and closed the journal hastily. She turned to see the Skipper of otters and sighed. "Sorry, sir."  
  
Skipper shrugged. "Whatcha writing in there?" he asked curiously.  
  
Naturi hesitated, then laughed apprehensively. "Oh...nothing really..."  
  
Skipper leaned against the tree. "Oh? Well, you sure write a lot. Maybe someday you'll become the recorder," he said pleasantly.  
  
Naturi smiled faintly and stood. "I dunno about that, sir."  
  
Skipper patted her shoulder hardily, he hated that old habit of hers. Any authority figure she addressed was "sir." It made him feel rather tyrannical to be called such a thing.   
  
"Let's go on to lunch, eh?" he offered kindly, a broad smile upon his face.  
  
Naturi looked to the ground. "I'm...not hungry...go on without me..."  
  
Skipper nodded slowly. "Alright, but you sure don't know what you're missing!"  
  
Naturi smiled. "Just not hungry...sir," she said, her smile faded as quickly as it had come.  
  
Skipper nodded again. "Well, I'll talk to you later. Have a nice day, now," he said as he turned and began walking away.  
  
Naturi stared after him as he walked away, heart racing. Hopefully he had not seen what she had written down. She had a feeling that he had, the way he sounded so interested in what she was writing, but perhaps he was just being kind. She slid down to her prior position next to the tree and began writing again.  
  
"It seems that the Redwallers are eager to befriend me. That's great, but I don't want friends. I don't know what I want. This life should be so great to me, but I find myself disappointed. Perhaps its because of the traitor's blood that I have running through me. I don't know how much longer I can stay here." She finished and shut her eyes, leaning her head back against the tree.  
  
She envisioned Maiken's face, the time that they had locked eyes, right before he killed her father. Was it so much enjoyment as it was necessary? She began to question this. He did, after all, save her life. Then again, he let them kill her mother, who was innocent. Another thing that did not make sense was the fact that he criticized her mother for marrying Marko, when he had been "stupid" enough to appoint Marko a captain, let alone trusting him with such a vital resource. Using that logic, Maiken himself should have been ripped apart by that mob.  
  
Naturi just didn't understand.  
  
******  
  
A sinister smile played across Joseph Krushchev's lips as he watched his captains enter his tent. He loved to see these large, sinewy captains of his fear him. Such fine soldiers and they were below him, inferior. Power was a wonderful thing.  
  
"Sit down," he ordered sternly, yet in a sort of merry way.  
  
Krushchev found that he could not resist playing favorites with this group of three. He was conspicuous about it, too. This way, they would all struggle to become the favored one, therefore, increasing the quality of their work.   
  
The favorite of the week was Cobain, a ferret like the warlord himself. He wasn't quite as big and tough as the others, but Joseph could definitely see a light in his eyes. He was a quick thinker, sly yet loyal. He was solemn and impassive. He did not have a family either, which was the great thing about him. Nothing that would effect his way of thinking. He had a clear head, never clouded by emotions. He was almost perfect. He was plain looking, no tattoos or piercings. He wore a navy blue tunic and big black boots. His preferred weapon was a double-bladed battle axe in which he wielded well.   
  
Krushchev nodded to him as he sat down.  
  
The next one to enter the tent was a large marlfox, Kneadon, one of a kind. Marlfoxes were thought to be extinct after the perish of the High King Mokkan (real references, cool, huh?). Joseph was almost sure that Kneadon was smarter and tougher than the high king he had heard of, and was secretly proud that Kneadon was his to do as he said. One thing that Joseph noticed was how quiet he was, however. It was as if he was either scared to voice his thoughts or just careless. Either way, it was sort of a downfall. The great thing was, as was with Cobain, he did not have a family and could never have a family. Pleasing the warlord would be his main focus.  
  
The last to come in the door was a young pine marten. Apprehensive, he was. He had just recently been appointed captain of archers and had not been in Joseph's presence often. He had striking blue eyes, more of a deep blue. They were always big and wide, as if he were always afraid or surprised. It was rather pleasant and refreshing to Joseph to see someone that was...well...easy on the eyes. Not in a romantic way, but Joseph didn't have to wince every time he came in the room or have to shield his eyes from the light cast off all the gold jewelry. Bluedusk was his name, and Joseph thought it fit him well. The bad thing about him was that the females of the horde were constantly tempted by him. Emotions always clogged up a soldier's head, therefore, Bluedusk was the least favorite.  
  
However, to limit the emotional clogging, Joseph had installed a strict "no-love" policy with his captains. They would be removed from their post if they were ever seen courting with a female.   
  
Most of his soldiers, unlike him, were gaudy looking, with many tattoos and piercings, Joseph could not stand that. His captains were all plain looking, and though he did not judge them on looks, he had so many to choose from that he would knock down a skilled swordsman with an earring instead of the skilled swordsman without it. It was just the way the warlord was.  
  
The three were seated, looking at him expectedly. Joseph smiled a phony smile. "Well, how is everybody today?" he asked pleasantly.  
  
"Fine," said Cobain, noticing that the other two were unresponsive.  
  
Joseph nodded. "We have a lot to talk about today," he said, still wearing that phony beam.  
  
The three just gazed at him. He had a way of making the atmosphere. If he wanted them to be tense, they were tense. If he wanted them to be comfortable, they were comfortable. Today, he made the atmosphere, strangely enough, tense. When this group of people were under tense conditions, they were prone to have better ideas. Pressure seemed to always do this to them.  
  
"Well, I have something I need to address," Joseph began. "We've spoken many times of permanant settlement, but the problem has always been the same; nowhere to go. Well, let's just say we have a place to go. That place, Redwall," he finished, studying the expressions on his captain's faces.  
  
"Redwall? I'm assuming that's the red building just east of here..." Cobain inquired.  
  
Joseph nodded. "That it is, and I find it suiting. Wouldn't you say, Cobain?" he asked in that phony, sweet voice he often used.  
  
Cobain nodded. "I would love to live there," he said eagerly.  
  
Joseph smiled at him, now possessing a tinge of menace. "Well, we must look at the mechanics of it all before we make a decision. That place can only possibly fit around two-hundred in it. You can tell just by looking at it. We outnumber them by a hundred or so. This is just a rough estimation, but I think we have the advantage. Not to mention, only half of their population could pass as soldiers. About three fourths of ours, on the other hand, are our army. Definitely an advantage," Joseph explained, still wearing that provocative smile.  
  
The captains nodded to eachother.   
  
Joseph's smile faded. "Don't think that your opinion is the deciding matter in this. My mind is already made up. This meeting was called for more...informative reasons. We have to make plans. We're going to talk over everything ahead of time. This place has never been invaded. It has to be perfect! We're gonna pull an all nighter, freinds!" he said in mock playfullness, his impending smile returning.  
  
The three captains looked to eachother in bafflement. This would surely be a long night.  
  
******  
  
Naturi was knieling, knieling before someone she didn't know. She was on a stage, before a rowdy, cheering audience. She was bound and flanked by two guards, why, she was not certain.   
  
The one who stood before her was a large, brawny otter who she slightly recognized, but could not totally recall who it was.   
  
"Traitor!" the otter shouted. "You shall die for your impudence!"  
  
Naturi was shocked. Traitor...what could that mean? She had written things, but she certainly hadn't *done* anything. She heard someone screaming in the crowd, and when she looked to see what it was, she saw a young female ferret, crying. Standing at her side was an unknown ferret, a little older than her, with a sinister look upon his place. His paw was placed at her shoulder, and he watched Naturi intently as she prepared for this execution.  
  
The otter brought down a large, yet wonderous sword upon her neck. She screamed.  
  
******  
  
The next thing she knew, she was lying in her bed sweating, surrounded by many, including Skipper. As she looked at him, she realized that he was the one who brought down the sword upon her neck.   
  
"Why were you screaming, dear?" Skipper asked kindly.  
  
Naturi just stared at him, wide eyed. "You..." she murmured, confused.  
  
Skipper looked around to the rest of the party, perplexed. "Me?"  
  
Naturi realized that it was just a dream, and decided not to pursue any accusations. She sighed. "Nothing..."  
  
"Are you okay?" Melanie inquired, smiling.   
  
Naturi nodded. "Just a dream...I'm sorry I woke you..."  
  
The Redwallers looked to eachother, said their goodnights, and departed. Naturi sat up, rubbing her neck. What could that dream have meant? She didn't know. Why Skipper? Why was he the one executing her? Who was that one in the audience, with his paw on...her...shoulder? So many questions that remained unanswered.   
  
(A/N- How was that for a chapter? That's really long for me! I like writing dreams. Don't ask me why, I just do. That stuff in the dream was all relevent to something, just like Jacques does his dream sequences. Its your job to figure it out!) 


	3. Solitude, Requests, and Terminations

Undecided Allegiance   
  
Chapter Three: Solitude, Requests, and Terminations  
  
(A/N- This chapter you will find a bit strange in behavior of the characters. This is all planned out guys, that's what I mean to do so don't leave reviews saying that they acted weird, I know that. Thanks to all my reviewers, which isn't many, but hey, its better than none. Especially Psycho and Zlost because it seems that they're some of the only ones who aren't still mad about a certain incident...but anyhow, on with the show!)  
  
Naturi often liked to sneak out of Redwall at night and walk about Mossflower. Sometimes she merely liked to be alone, but it seemed like lately that she was always trying to be alone. There was just something about her most recent "phase" that called for solitude.   
  
Shortly after her nightmare she decided that she needed to sort things out in her head. It was strange how she had been thinking and she needed to understand what she truly wanted anymore. Redwall or vermin? Which was it that she fit in? Naturi wanted a family, badly, and she knew that in Redwall she could never have that. No one "loved" her like she wanted to be loved in Redwall and no one ever could there.   
  
Then again, who would she fall in love with in a vermin horde? It seemed like they were all the same except for the leaders. The leaders were intelligent, but used their intellect merely for conquering and killing. Then, she was so tempted to get involved with the conquering and killing. It was so much more simple than diplomacy.  
  
That night was, to be described in one word, beautiful. The moon was full, washing the peaks of the trees with a pale white light. It was pleasantly cool and she could hear the crickets (please excuse the weird author's note, but I take it there are crickets in Britain, right? If not, oh well I guess.) chirping adding to the solitary sound of night fall.   
  
She paced about the forest solemnly until she reached a stream in which she stopped to let her foot paws soak in the cool, clear water. It was so relaxing just to be by herself once in a while. She loved nights like this.  
  
Joseph Khrushchev, meanwhile, became weary from staying awake and thinking as much as he was. He just found he couldn't function normally anymore, as well as his captains. To plan an invasion in one night was just daft, he thought. He called it off and took a walk by himself. With him he took a flask of wine, which he found leisurely after a long day.  
  
He couldn't help to appreciate such a perfect night. It was still and cool, and seclusion was what he sought. It felt so nice just to be by himself. He was tired of his captains and the rowdy ways of the horde.   
  
After a brief period, the flask of wine was officially gone and Khrushchev could feel it playing his mind. As if that were not enough, he finished his second shortly after. It normally didn't take much alcohol to do this, just one flask was all Khrushchev needed. He felt himself becoming more clumsy and careless as he walked, but he didn't mind, even at his clumsiest state he could out do anyone in his horde.   
  
He saw a stream glittering ahead of him and decided it would be relaxing to take a swim. It had been several days since he had really bathed and it began to bother him. His horde had just arrived in that section of Mossflower the day before and everyone was busy ever since.  
  
He sat down next to the stream and on the other side he could see someone, but he couldn't really trust his vision in his drunken state. He tried to focus but he still couldn't comprehend what or who it was, so for then he ignored it. Probably his head playing drunken tricks on him.  
  
He removed his belt with his weapons and proceeded into the water. He was chilled at first, but after a few moments he adjusted to it. He heard the a gasp come from the other side of the stream. Now he knew for sure that someone was there.  
  
Naturi was shocked at what she saw. It appeared to be the one in her dream (how predictable of me was that?), and he was there, right in front of her. They locked eyes, and she noted the familiar look upon his face. It had to be the one in her dream! She didn't know what exactly to do, so she fled back to Redwall.  
  
She settled into her bed, paws trembling as she thought of him. It was so strange, perhaps she had seen him somewhere before...  
  
She got out her notebook and began writing. "I saw someone tonight, I don't know who he was or why he was there, but all I know is that I want to see him again. I'm so confused. I was so thrilled to see someone like me, perhaps we should have spoken, but I have a feeling I will see him again," she finished.  
  
She set the book on the floor beside her bed and fell into a dreamless sleep.  
  
The next morning at breakfast as Naturi was eating, at the side of Skipper as usual, she heard something she found odd. She knew that he was trying to speak quietly to the Abbot, but she could hear them.  
  
"Vermin horde's advancing," he said. "Got reports from Redscratch and Nestrum. Some kind of Khrushchev guy..."  
  
This was said just as Naturi was sipping at some strawberry cordial, but at hearing that all too familiar name, sprayed it all over the table. Attention was shifted from the conversation to her, but she pretended to ignore it.  
  
"Skipper, did you say Khrushchev?"  
  
Skipper nodded. "I did...why do you ask?"  
  
Naturi blinked and looked to the floor. "We went to war against Khrushchev, but he was old. I heard he was one the verge of croaking."  
  
Skipper looked to the abbot then to Naturi, noting the fact that she used "we" instead of "they" while referring to the vermin horde she was once a part of. Skipper narrowed his eyes. "The leaders a young one. Must be a son or something."  
  
Naturi nodded. "Must be. So...is this horde a threat to Redwall?"  
  
Skipper shrugged. "Should always assume, though. Can't be too careful. Gonna have to post extra sentries out there. Maybe have some squirrel spies go out there and pin point a location," he said thoughtfully, seeming more to be talking to himself than Naturi.  
  
"Can I do something?" she asked hopefully.  
  
Skipper narrowed his eyes and frowned. He didn't exactly trust her, not with this sort of thing, anyhow. She probably sympathized for the vermin cause and would be eager to betray Redwall. He just didn't know how to say that. "Oh...no, you see, we have enough sentries and the squirrels can climb better without being seen," he explained hastily.  
  
Skipper half expected her to get upset and storm off, but she did not. Rather, she looked to her food silently and began eating again.  
  
After a few moments, she said something that Skipper had not expected. "You know, I understand. I am what I am, and I'm like them. I know you think I'll become a traitor, but I wouldn't, because of all the great things you've done for me. I only wish that you would give me a chance to prove myself..." she said forlornly.  
  
Skipper and Abbot Marken looked at eachother. Marken shrugged. "I say give her a chance as a sentry. She sounds sincere."  
  
Skipper nodded and turned back to Naturi. "You can have a shift tonight, the midnight shift if you like," he said, still unsure of this decision, but knew that the Abbot's word overruled his.  
  
Naturi smiled. "Thank you, abbot."  
  
She knew that those words weren't necessarily sincere, but she wouldn't dare do anything to hurt Redwall. There was nothing that the abbey beasts had done to deserve any wrong doing, the only reason that she truly wanted to be involved was perhaps a chance to slip away. Be taken prisoner, then hopefully integrate into that horde. This was not a sure decision, however. She just wanted that chance.  
  
Joseph had a morning of disappointments. His most trusted captain, Cobain, had been caught courting with a female while the horde was at the brink of war! How could he go against Joseph's long standing policy? There was a lot more that upset the warlord than just the courting in itself, but the principal of it. Cobain had broken his set rule, and put his post second. To Joseph, that was unacceptable at times like these.  
  
There would be a public termination of his post at noon. Joseph was tentative to fire him, but there was another big reason why he absolutely had to. If he just let his captains break the rules and get away with it, then who else would choose to break his rules? He would look soft. He was not about to look soft at times of invasion.  
  
Noon came and Cobain was led out into the center of camp. It was cloudy and at the brink of raining when the termination took place, but Joseph chose not to cancel it.  
  
Joseph stood in the center of camp, smiling wickedly at Cobain. When everybody from the horde had gathered and it became silent, he spoke.  
  
"My followers, the one kneeling before you has deliberately chosen to break a very important rule. As you all know, we are planning an invasion, and I cannot tolerate rule breaking," he paused, looking around to the audience. "My once best captain has decided to go against a very important policy of mine. The 'no-love' policy." He paused again to hear snickering and whispering in the crowd. The hordebeasts just loved to gossip. This would fill them up for weeks. "Therefore, I hearby proclaim Cobain a soldier, not an authority figure anymore. As for nominations for his replacement, you will first speak to my seer about it, and then you will speak to me. And as for my other captains, let this be a lesson," he finished dramatically and retreated to his tent.  
  
Cobain found himself embarrassed for the remainder of the day. He had been teased, harassed, and whispered about ever since Joseph's speech. He was honorable, so what if he slept with a female? His reputation in that horde had been ruined, and he wasn't going to ever live it down. He was going to do something to Joseph, he decided, something bad.  
  
As thoughts of mutiny ran through Cobain's mind, Joseph was in conference with his other captains and his seer, Delafor. This was held mostly to speak of Cobain, his new captain, and the invasion.   
  
Joseph sat thoughtfully, rubbing his temple. "Cobain is going to be very upset with me for some time. He'll try to pull something. Kneadon, Bluedusk, you are in charge of killing him," he ordered softly, he seemed strangely tired.  
  
Kneadon and Bluedusk tried not to react, but failed. The picture of shock painted on their faces was rather conspicuous. Cobain was their friend, they were used to be around him and being around him all the time, and now they were ordered to kill him! It was that or die, so either way, it was a win-lose situation.  
  
They nodded obediently.  
  
Joseph smiled. "Good. I don't care how you do it, all I ask is that you do not tell a soul about this, until he's dead. Otherwise the whole plan with fail."  
  
The two nodded again.  
  
"Now, leave," he ordered gently, but even though his tone was civil, the two captains knew better than to take advantage of it. They exited the tent quickly, leaving Joseph and Delafor alone.  
  
"You're weary, you stayed out last night, didn't you?" Delafor inquired.  
  
Joseph nodded. "Does it really take a seer to tell that? Yeah, I was out. Yes, I drank. So what? I can do as I please..." he said as he laid on his back, looking to the ceiling of the tent.  
  
Delafor scooted closer to him. "Sir...I had a dream last night."  
  
Joseph smirked. "Congratulations."  
  
Delafor became frustrated with him, but did not show it. "Sir, I think it's important," she said, her voice slightly whiney.  
  
"Well..." Joseph said. "Let's hear it."  
  
Delafor fidgeted nervously and closed her eyes. "It all took place at that red stone building we plan to invade. I saw an otter...with a magnificent sword. I also saw someone, insignificant looking. A ferret, but she's holding a bow, and the arrow, it's pointed towards you. When she shoots it, I cannot see where it ends up, sir." She opened her eyes. "Because it took place at the abbey, I believe there is some importance."  
  
Joseph began as a small snicker, but he soon began laughing hardily. "You're something else, seer," he paused, his hilarity fading. "You may think your dreams are important, but I don't. In fact, I don't think you're very important to me anymore. You and your daft, psychic hokey crap. I don't want to hear it anymore," he said irritably and sat up. "In fact, I think you should leave," he demanded crudely.  
  
Delafor was near tears at this point. She ran out of the tent, and Joseph could tell she was crying.   
  
His thoughts wandered from Delafor to the night before. He had tried, during the day, to locate that female he had seen the night before. He couldn't say that he really knew what she looked like, in the scarce light and being intoxicated, he was not exactly credible at the time.  
  
"Why do I even care?" he thought to himself.  
  
He chuckled. He found it funny how small things seem to stick with him.  
  
(A/N- Took me forever to write that chapter! A lot of stuff happened. I hope you found it interesting.) 


	4. A Conspiracy, A Decision

Undecided Allegiance  
  
Chapter Four: A Conspiracy, A Decision  
  
(A/N- Thanks to my reviewers. I hope that I answered all your questions, avlblu. Thanks for reading. Just to let you know, I will be introducing a not-so-new character in this chapter that eventually will play a rather important role.)  
  
It was an hour before midnight when the horde stopped all fires and almost everyone retired to their tents. That evening was light, everyone talking about Cobain's little affair. As for the female whom was responsible for courting with Cobain, she was off hiding in her tent the whole day. The night was pleasantly cool, as with the last, and no meetings were called. All that was to take place was the death of Cobain.  
  
Kneadon and Bluedusk stood outside of Cobain's tent, awaiting the other to say something first. Kneadon, feeling he was the more mature out of the two, called for the captain.  
  
"Cobain," he said tentatively, his voice not very confident.  
  
They first heard a long sigh, then a drunken voice. "What do you want?"  
  
Bluedusk felt the responsibility to speak next. "Come outside. We need to talk to you," he replied, his voice containing less confidence than Kneadon's.  
  
They could hear Cobain scoff and then hesitate. "What do you wanna talk with me for? I'm just a soldier, not an authority figure like you guys..."  
  
Bluedusk rolled his eyes, frustrated. "We don't care about that! Get out here, now!" he ordered, his voice quiet yet intense.  
  
They could hear some shuffling around coming from inside, then Cobain emerged, very sickly looking. His eyes were bloodshot and his fur was a mess, his tunic covered with various stains. It was plain pathetic.  
  
"You guys...it was just once, I swear," he pleaded.  
  
Kneadon sneered. "Can it and follow us!"  
  
The two captains led Kneadon out into the woods around the camp. They walked for about an hour until they arrived near a stream, at the desired location.  
  
Bluedusk turned to Cobain. "You listen to me, and listen well. We were given orders to kill you, but because we respect you too much, we decided against it, under these conditions. You must leave here, and fast. We never want to see you again. Don't even think of taking your revenge upon Joseph, do you understand?" the captain hissed, his voice not above a whisper out of his paranoia.  
  
Kneadon smirked. "Yeah, under this condition too. Lord needs proof you're dead, so we need one of your claws."  
  
Cobain's eyes widened to the size of a pine cone. He backed away, shaking his head. "No way you're cutting anything off me!" he exclaimed.  
  
Bluedusk grabbed him by the scruff and forced him up to a tree. "Shut up!" he whispered intensely. He grabbed his dagger and held it up to Cobain's neck. "We're being very generous, Cobain! It's either your claw or your life, make up your mind, you fool!"  
  
Cobain gritted his teeth. "Cut it, then!"  
  
Bluedusk nodded to Kneadon, and Kneadon pulled a small knife from his belt. Cobain whimpered.  
  
Bluedusk dropped his dagger, pinned him tighter against the tree, and placed his paw over his eyes and his other of his mouth. "Be quiet, Cobain," he whispered comfortingly. "It's your life, remember that."  
  
Kneadon grabbed Cobain's paw and swiftly cut off the claw on the very end (you know, like the human's pinky?).   
  
Muffled cries came from Cobain as Bluedusk hushed him. Being prepared ahead of time, Kneadon packed the cut with herbs and sealed with a dock leaf. It wasn't until this was done that Bluedusk took his paws from Cobain's eyes and mouth.  
  
The claw was stored in the burlap sack that Kneadon carried along with him. The marlfox was smiling wickedly. "Always wanted to do that," he whispered menacingly.  
  
"Go, Cobain, as far as you can away from here. I suggest you find some other horde, maybe south. If you ever come back, you will be the death of us," Bluedusk warned darkly.  
  
Cobain nodded. "Thank you. I am grateful," he ended abruptly and ran off.  
  
Kneadon and Bluedusk looked to eachother, confused. "That's not south," Kneadon said simply.  
  
Naturi felt slightly strange and powerful as she held her javelin at the wall top. It was great to be a sentry. She scanned the area outside the abbey over and over again. The other sentries were some distance away from her, which she liked, she was always a solitary beast.   
  
Her shift was until sun rise that night. This was the worst shift, that she was sure. That was why it was given to her.   
  
Hours passed, and the job seemed less and less desirable. Nothing happened. None of the sentries spoke of anything. There was nothing to do, nothing to see. She was beginning to regret ever volunteering for the job.  
  
The other sentries must have agreed, for they were all sound asleep.  
  
She sat down and leaned against the side of the wall top, staring down at a clearing before her. Her eyes became harder and harder to keep open and she began to relax. Just before her eyes drifted shut, she saw movement.  
  
She bolted upright and looked over the side, and a figure dashed back into the bushes. She was just about to wake the others when she decided against it. She decided to try and be a hero, and deal with it herself.  
  
"I know you're there," she said simply, not speaking too loud, careful to not awake the other sentries.  
  
A few seconds later, a ferret emerged into the clearing.   
  
"You...you're a..." he murmured, trailing off.  
  
Naturi's heart beat picked up, a ferret! She appreciated seeing someone like herself so much that she did not think twice about tossing that javelin towards him. It was a thrill to see him-to feel the same as someone again.   
  
"What do you want?" she asked, trying to maintain her position of power.  
  
The ferret looked concerned. "I have to tell you something-please let me in! It's important!"  
  
Naturi reached a point of indecision. She looked around to the other sentries, making sure they were all asleep. She waited a few moments, sorting out the pros and cons of letting him in.  
  
"Unarm yourself," she demanded imperiously.  
  
The ferret threw a dagger, a sword, and a small knife to the ground at his right.   
  
Naturi bit her lip in indecision as well as anticipation. Deciding to take advantage of this chance, she scuttled down from the wall top and met him. Noticing his bandaged paw, she decided to bring him into the infirmary.  
  
As they walked up the wall top, she quietly advised him to be silent as they made their way past the sleeping sentries. Before they knew it, they were in the great hall, where the ferret began gawking at the tapestry and the sword.  
  
"Come on!" Naturi whispered as she led him towards the infirmary, hoping that nobody would see her sneaking "vermin" into the abbey. She would be labeled as a "foolish traitor." She knew all too well what they would call her, and she would be cast out of Redwall forever.  
  
They were in the infirmary, where Naturi perceived she had been lucky. Just to be safe, she scanned about the room before she let the ferret enter. No one was there.  
  
She looked at the dock leaf and scoffed. "This is no way to care for a cut," she commented. She unwrapped to dock leaf, expecting a cut, but found no claw at all! She shivered.  
  
"What happened?" she inquired.  
  
The ferret, thinking quickly, replied. "A warlord cut it off."  
  
Naturi paused. "Are you an exile?"  
  
The ferret smiled and nodded.  
  
As she washed the mud from his paw, she began conversation. "So, what's your name?" she inquired.  
  
"Cobain," he answered, appreciating such care.  
  
She nodded. "So...what did you want to tell me?"  
  
He paused, making the final decision about what to tell her. "There's going to be an invasion."  
  
Naturi narrowed her eyes and looked to him. "You mean...Khrushchev?" she asked, now becoming interested.  
  
He nodded. "Pretty soon, expect it any day now!"  
  
She turned to his paw as she finished bandaging up and sighed thoughtfully. It could be her chance to get away, but who was this beast? Was he credible? Was he a spy, or was he really an exile? She couldn't quite tell yet, though she could not say in truth that she cared.   
  
She finished wrapping it up and quickly led him to her room, where she decided they would speak more in depth of this matter.   
  
She withdrew from one of her desk drawers a flask of damson wine, and offered some to Cobain. He accepted.  
  
He sat on a small wooden chair next to her desk, while she was seated on the edge of her bed.  
  
"So...why did they make you leave?" she inquired curiously, trying to make him feel as comfortable as possible.  
  
Stuck at this question, he paused. He didn't exactly want to tell her why, it was plain embarrassing! He decided to lie in this case. "I told him he was daft."  
  
She raised her brow. "I'd say you deserve to be exiled."  
  
Cobain could feel his face becoming hot. He shrugged.  
  
Cobain decided that he would take his turn to ask questions. "So..." he began. "How do you know Khrushchev?"  
  
Naturi hesitated. "You see...I was born into a horde that was at war with his...father...I believe...Nikita," she finished, hoping that he didn't find himself confused.  
  
"Oh," Cobain said lightly. "Nikita croaked not too long ago. Son took over-Joseph."  
  
Then, it seemed out of nowhere, there was a knock at the door.   
  
"Naturi, why did you leave your shift early?" someone asked. It was Skipper.  
  
Naturi signaled for Cobain to crawl under the bed, and he quickly obeyed. Naturi knew that if she ever was caught hiding "vermin" in the abbey, she would surely be forced to leave. She still had to leave all options open. "Um...I don't feel well, sir..." she explained, hoping that he would buy it.  
  
"Are you alright? Do you need help?" Skipper inquired, concerned.  
  
"Oh! No...I don't need help. I'm just really tired and my head hurts...just need some sleep. I'm sorry sir," she said, biting her lip, hoping he would just leave her alone after the short questionnaire.  
  
"Can I come in?" he inquired, shocking Naturi.  
  
No question could have scared her more at that point.  
  
She knew that it would seem strange if she turned him down, but what if he found out about Cobain? She couldn't have it either way, she had to let him in.  
  
"Come in," she replied, purposely making her voice feeble and frail sounding.  
  
He opened the door gently and smiled. She smiled back, lying on her bed, wrapped in blankets.   
  
"Listen," he began. "I'm sorry about lunch earlier today. It was very shallow of me to assume things like that about you..."  
  
Each word of his apology made her stomach wrench. Little did he know that she had let someone into the abbey that he most definitely did not approve of.  
  
"Just because you're a ferret doesn't mean that you're like them, and I didn't want you to feel like that's what we think..."  
  
His words began to sound like a drone in the back round, her heart pounded, she hoped that he would not find out...  
  
"I just don't want you to feel like you're different than the rest of us, just because of where you were born, I know you can't help it..."  
  
"When will he stop?" she thought to herself, each word becoming more painfully irritating as the time passed.  
  
"You're just like a part of the community here, and I don't want you to feel left out. I want you to have a more active role in Redwall defense if you like..."  
  
That last sentence broke through the barrier in her mind. A more active role? Like what?   
  
"I'll think about it," she murmured, not really conscious as to what she was saying.  
  
Skipper smiled warmly. "I just wanted you to know those things. Come talk to me when you feel better and we'll discuss what you want to do," he said kindly.  
  
She smiled. "Thanks, sir...well, I best go to sleep now, see you tomorrow..."  
  
He nodded and departed. He couldn't have left soon enough.  
  
The door shut and she locked it behind him.  
  
Cobain emerged out from under the bed. "I think I would have died if I had to stay in there a second longer..." he sighed. "That's guys a real sap...just went on and on..."  
  
Most abbey beasts would call that kind of speak disrespectful, and though Naturi appreciated it, she sort of presumed it the same way. She nodded.   
  
Cobain bit his lip. "You have to tell him, since you're a part of defense now, about the invasion. You can't just hide me!"  
  
Naturi twisted the blanket up in her paws. "I can't tell them! They'll make me leave, I will never be forgiven for bringing...you...into the abbey..."  
  
Cobain sneered. "Hey! Are you aware that I am trying to help you? Think about what that guy said, it's not about species, its about who you are. I'm not loyal to him, he's going to attack! Please believe me!" he protested desperately.  
  
Naturi nodded. "I'm not telling them in the middle of the night, mind you. I dunno...just...um...lay on the floor for tonight and we'll talk to them tomorrow..." she murmured, reaching a point of indecision. She blew out the candles and the two went to bed.  
  
Meanwhile, Bluedusk and Kneadon returned from their "affair" and reported to Joseph. It was tense, Joseph seemed critical that night. The two began to worry.  
  
Kneadon presented the claw to him.  
  
Joseph looked at it, narrowing his eyes. "Why didn't you bring me his head?" he inquired critically.  
  
The two looked to eachother, hearts pounding furiously. What to say? What if he didn't believe them, what would happen? Kneadon took the chance to explain. "You see, sir, his head would have been awful heavy and bloody..."  
  
Joseph scoffed. "I don't believe you. You best take me to the body...tomorrow..." he muttered disapprovingly.  
  
The two captains protested. "But sir, I don't remember where it is!"  
  
"It was dark out!"  
  
"Shut up! You will not change my mind. I want to see his body, and if you do not lead me to it, mark my words, I will kill you," he threatened. "I will not tolerate mutiny."  
  
The two nodded, realizing that they were defeated.  
  
"Get out!" he snapped, furiously. Apparently he had been tired, and luckily for the two captains, did not want to see the body that night.  
  
As they walked back to their tent, they were afraid. Afraid of what Joseph would do to them.   
  
"What are we going to do?" Bluedusk whispered, his voice shaking with fear.  
  
Kneadon smiled reassuringly. "I have a plan."  
  
It was Lord Maiken's birthday that day. Not a happy day. "Another year older," he thought to himself. Another year frailer, another year of deterioration. That was what it was. Aging. Deterioration of his regime.  
  
If he could have one wish, it would be for his youth. His wounds healed slower, he tired faster, and his fur became moddled and thin. Arthritis had set in, therefore greatly limiting his sword-fighting ability. To be young again, to break so many barriers that his age had set before him. Even death was becoming real as he felt himself slip away and corrode into an old, feeble beast.  
  
That night he spent alone, sipping from a flask of elderberry wine and staring out the window of his chamber, longing to be the way he was ten years before.   
  
He began thinking back to that time. Losing the only war that he'd ever fought to Khrushchev. What kind of legacy would he hold? Would he be remembered as a loser? Would the records of his rule even be saved? These questions rung in his mind throughout the evening, mocking him, degenerating his confidence.   
  
He had not even addressed in his mind the chance that there would be a revolt. He tried to ignore the subject matter, knowing that he would go crazy if he thought upon it too much.   
  
How could he solve this problem, this problem of a disintegrating body and mind? If only he knew the answer...  
  
(A/N- Well, hope that was interesting. You can kinda tell where this is going, I hope. Well, next chapter will even be funner to write!) 


	5. Four Exiles

Undecided Allegiance  
  
Chapter Five: The Exiled Four  
  
(A/N- Haven't updated this for a while. You know, I'm proud of myself. I made a "good guy" one of my main characters! That's Skipper! Pats self on back. First time I've done that in my Redwall fanfiction history! I'm looking forward to writing this chapter. Hope you find it interesting.)  
  
"We have to talk to them," Cobain urged, concerned.  
  
Naturi sneered. "That's easy for you to say! I have to face the consequences of dragging you in here!" she snapped fiercely.  
  
Naturi gnawed on the back of a quill apprehensively. Would the abbey beasts understand why it had to be done? Would they even believe him? They had to, it was for their own good, they just had to...  
  
Naturi looked over to him. "Well, what happens happens. If they don't believe me, its not my fault," she murmured.  
  
Cobain nodded happily. His payback to Khrushchev would be great! No permanent settlement, no conquering of Redwall. He was laughing inwardly.  
  
Naturi crawled out of bed and made her way to the door. She looked back to Cobain who was standing behind her. "Don't be surprised," she began, "If they try to kill you," she informed gravely.  
  
Cobain nodded.   
  
They made their way into the Great Hall, where there was an immense hubbub at the sight of Cobain and screams from the dibbuns. "It would be best," Naturi thought to herself, "to save the explanation for the abbot."   
  
She looked back to Cobain, who looked startled by the reaction from the abbeybeasts, normally being one who was universally loved and accepted. "It'll be okay," she said comfortingly.  
  
He just kept walking.  
  
When they reached the mess hall (sorry for the crudeness, that's what I call it), they received looks of scorn and furious glares from the abbeybeasts.   
  
Abbot Marken, the small mouse, was immediately shocked and angry. "Naturi!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. "What are you doing?!"  
  
"He has to tell you something, abbot, its very important!" she shouted back, hoping to get through to him.  
  
"There is nothing to tell! You brought vermin-"  
  
The abbot was cut off by Skipper. "Let him talk, at least!" he bellered to the abbot.  
  
Marken looked to Skipper with disgust. "Otter! Silence yourself! I will not tolerate vermin in my abbey!"  
  
Naturi picked up a glass bowl filled with meadow cream and smashed it against the wall. "Fine! I hope this abbey is invaded, abbot, mark my words!" she cried.  
  
By now, all the attention was on her. There were a few moments of silence, then the abbot spoke.  
  
"And this one told you, eh? This one...is very trustworthy, isn't he?" the abbot inquired sarcastically.   
  
"I trust him," Naturi said with contempt.   
  
"Well, I don't. Leave. I knew it was a mistake all along, bringing you into this abbey. All of you ferrets...vermin! Never can be trusted!" he exclaimed with hatred. "Get out! Out!"  
  
"So be it. I'll leave, abbot, and if you ever see me again, you'll be dying," she said menacingly, knowing that she was bluffing and would do anything to make him mad.  
  
This triggered a few raised eyebrows. Naturi had never been known to be a violent beast, and she was mostly kind. It was as if she just...snapped.  
  
She locked eyes with Skipper for a moment, who was just plain confused, then she turned and began walking away towards the great hall.  
  
No one followed her to see what she did next.  
  
She hoisted the sword of Martin from its spot and took it.  
  
Cobain looked at her, his worry fading. "Can I have that?" he inquired.  
  
She shook her head. "No...you can't. It's for someone else."  
  
The two exiled ones left the abbey lacking guilt.  
  
Joseph Khrushchev stared down at the body of a ferret, beaten beyond recognition. This was supposedly the captain, Cobain. He snickered, a snicker that transformed into obnoxious laughter.  
  
"You two really expect me to believe this!" he exclaimed with hilarity.   
  
Bluedusk and Kneadon looked to eachother, hearts pounding. How did he know?  
  
He laughed and sat down next to the body. "You expect me to believe that you...overkilled one of your best friends, eh? The death would be so much cleaner...if this is who you say it is," he said, staring up at the two. "Well, what's your excuse?"  
  
The two remained silent, fearing that if they had said anymore it would lead to more trouble.  
  
Joseph stood, still laughing. "There is none, and I can prove it," he said as he lifted up the body's arms and showing the two captains it's claws. "None missing, guys," he said merrily. "No claw is missing," he murmured, his tone becoming more sinister.  
  
The two captains looked at eachother, each thinking the other an idiot for not removing a claw.  
  
Joseph put his arms around both the captains, drawing them close. "What kind of fool do you two take me for, eh? I gave you an order, and you ignored me. So...what do you expect me to do about this?" he inquired dangerously.  
  
The two remained silent.   
  
"So eager for explanations before, weren't you? The head was too big and bloody wasn't it?" he asked mockingly.  
  
Still, no one spoke.  
  
Then, Joseph fell into a long speech about what it meant to be a captain. "Did you realize what honor you possessed? Hm? You two were my most important soldiers. Yes, my most important soldiers. I would have trusted you with my most prized possessions, with the most important knowledge. So what do you do? You go behind my back, disobey me, and release someone that knows everything about my plans? Someone that would just love to sabotage my leadership? You two are traitors, you played me false. What do you expect me to think when you do these things?" he inquired, whispering.  
  
Then, they heard rustling in the bushes. Joseph released them. He gripped the hilt of his dagger as he made his way farther away from them. "You move, and its over," he warned them.  
  
He looked around and nothing. He shifted his attention back to the two captains. "Was that your little friend? This friend that you gave up your leadership for?" he queried impendingly.  
  
Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Cobain lunged from the bushes, a great sword in paw, and proceeded to attack Joseph. The two fell into a clash of steel.  
  
"Back from the dead, captain?" he inquired as he dodged and blocked Cobain's attempts to cut him.  
  
Cobain said nothing, but focused on getting past this barrier that Joseph had set before him.  
  
The other two captains decided that the odds were with them now, and they drew their weapons. A three on one assault then took place.  
  
Joseph backed out of the fight, pulling into the forest. "I'll see to it that you three are dead! You cowards, none of you would ever fight me one on one!" he shouted, knowing that the only reason Cobain took the chance to attack him was because his friends were present.   
  
He then disappeared into the foliage.  
  
A young female ferret then emerged from the bushes, mystified.  
  
The three captains began laughing hysterically, giving eachother high-fives and skipping about like kits.   
  
"Was that Khrushchev?" Naturi inquired curiously.  
  
"Yes!" Bluedusk exclaimed happily.  
  
Naturi narrowed her eyes. Khrushchev must be a powerful leader, why else would they be so happy as to defeat him when the odds were three on one? She sat down next to Cobain. "Well, we should leave, what if he sends someone after us?" she inquired casually.  
  
The three looked at her, too exhilarated to even think of that option. They all murmured in agreement. "She's right," Cobain said. "We must hide."  
  
They got up and began walking.   
  
"So who are you? I haven't seen you before," Bluedusk inquired.  
  
Naturi looked at him. "Oh...I'm Naturi," she replied.  
  
"Where are you from, then?" Kneadon asked.  
  
Naturi contemplated how exactly to answer this question. "Uh...Redwall, I guess," she replied with a shrug. "I was born in the horde of lord Maiken. I left there and went to Redwall when I was seven," she said, looking to the dull gray sky. "Looks like it'll rain."  
  
The four exiles found a hole at the base of a tree to hide in. It was cramped, but it would do for one day. Naturi found herself squeezed in between Cobain and Bluedusk, while her and Kneadon's footpaws were gnarled together.   
  
"Do you suggest we sleep all day?" she asked, sounding winded from being so tightly squished between the two captains.  
  
Cobain chuckled. "Have anything else to do?"  
  
She leaned her head against Cobain's shoulder. "No."  
  
"I say we tell stories," Kneadon suggested dumbly. "It'll be fun."  
  
Naturi laughed. She actually felt accepted with these three. There wasn't a question as to why she was with them. She wasn't always trying to prove herself with these three, she was accepted the way that she was. It was just all around more comfortable. Besides, there were no responsibilities or chores to take care of as there was in Redwall. They did things based upon what they had wanted and no one else. Ah, selfishness. Once in a while, she thought, selfishness was better than selflessness.  
  
Bluedusk liked it this way, just being so laid back and care free. He wasn't even upset at himself or Kneadon for not cutting off the claw. Maybe it was just meant to be, that all three of them to be free from any type of horde. No ranking, no planning, no worries.   
  
Cobain nudged Naturi. "I'm taking a liking to this here sword," he hinted, smiling.  
  
Naturi shook her head. "No. I'm not giving it to you. It's mine," she said, thinking of what she truly had in mind for it.  
  
Cobain couldn't resist a smirk. "And you're going to use it?" he inquired skeptically.  
  
Naturi sneered. "No! You don't know what I'm going to do with it, and I'm not going to tell you," she muttered.  
  
Naturi had grown up around kindness in Redwall, and it seemed she was too used to it. She had forgotten what "vermin," were like, otherwise she would have never talked to him that way. She could have when they were in Redwall, she was in power then.  
  
Cobain wanted the sword, but he wanted to be diplomatic about it. He'd taken a liking to her, a friendship, and he didn't want to resort to any kind of foul ways. Not wanting to get in a confrontation that second, he dropped the subject. He knew that it would be brought up again, however.  
  
Kneadon narrowed his eyes. "So, Naturi, what in hell's teeth are you doing here?"  
  
"I'm an exile," she replied frankly.  
  
Bluedusk snickered. "That makes four of us."  
  
Kneadon still found himself curious and didn't hesitate to continue asking questions. "Why?"  
  
"Um..." she murmured, not wanting to answer that question, in case Cobain would be one victimized.  
  
"It was because of me," Cobain announced. "I was telling her about the invasion lord Khrushchev was planning, and when we went to tell the Redwallers, they made us leave," he explained casually.  
  
"You told them?!" Bluedusk asked surprised. "You're just a lucky beast that we aren't in that horde anymore, we were very generous towards you, yet you went against us!"  
  
"Can it, Blue, you're acting like Joseph!" Kneadon demanded irritably. "You keep it up and its not gonna be pretty..."  
  
Cobain could feel Naturi becoming tense at the possibility of a fight. "That's how they always are," he stated with a slight chuckle.  
  
"Yeah, and that's how you always are...around a female!" Bluedusk exclaimed, laughing.  
  
Kneadon joined in on the hilarity with another comment. "Yeah, Mr. Diplomatic, aren't we?"  
  
"Yeah, he can never resist a good time!"  
  
"Even if it costs him his job!"  
  
An awkward silence followed this last remark made by Kneadon. It was tense, everyone thought for sure that Cobain was going to blow up about it.   
  
"Cost me my claw too!" he added lightly.  
  
There was a moment's silence, then a burst of laughter from the three relieved exiles. Naturi even forgot how uncomfortable she was beginning to get after those last few comments.  
  
The rest of the night went along with more comments the four found hilarious and stories of their pasts. It was all around light and comfortable.  
  
Skipper found himself upset with the abbot. He was being irrational, not even giving Naturi nor that ferret a chance to say what they had wanted! Had her intentions been sinister, she surely would have hid him. How would two ferrets fair against a whole abbey of beasts? She wasn't so daft as to present him in plain view, both unarmed.  
  
Another thing that upset him was the fact that the two were more dangerous out of the abbey! If some horde were to invade, who knew everything about the abbey? Who knew how long they could last, who knew how many warriors there were? Naturi did. She also knew that the sentries slept on the job, and the layout of the abbey. She could surely help any enemy horde that was planning to invade, and now she certainly had the incentive! The abbot had handed her a reason to hate Redwall on a silver platter! Skipper was furious.  
  
Another thing he noticed, the sword of Martin was gone. She had taken it out of spite. Perhaps she would give it to the one who was with her, or perhaps an offering to that warlord. Merely out of malevolence she would give their opposer this prized possession.   
  
He had decided to look for her, apologize, ask her not to be mad, ask her to come back, and tell them what she had wanted to tell them. She was trustable, she was...  
  
Skipper set out of the abbey before meal time, unnoticed. Where to start? 


End file.
